President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has unveiled a new security and economic framework designed to unlock Nigeria’s marine and aquatic resources under the blue economy, describing the sector as central to the country’s long-term transformation. He directed all ministries, departments, and agencies to immediately review and implement recommendations from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies’ comprehensive study on blue economy development.
Speaking on Wednesday during a Presidential Parley with participants of Senior Executive Course 47 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies at the Presidential Villa, the President, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said the administration is focused on turning Nigeria’s maritime potential into a major driver of economic diversification, job creation, and national prosperity.
He explained that the blue economy provides what he called a strategic route for expanding revenue, supporting sustainable employment, and revitalising ecosystems. “If properly harnessed, this sector could become an anchor of shared prosperity for generations,” he said.
President Tinubu welcomed the findings of the NIPSS study on Blue Economy and Sustainable Development in Nigeria, calling it a timely document that outlines the opportunities to seize, challenges to confront, and policies to refine. He commended the institute for what he described as its tradition of analytical rigour, creativity, and patriotic duty.
According to him, Nigeria’s marine endowments, including an 853-kilometre coastline, rich fisheries, inland waterways, and a strategic position in the Gulf of Guinea, place the country in a strong position to create new growth channels.
He stated that the government is prioritising aquaculture expansion, maritime corridor upgrades, port modernisation, coastal tourism, marine biotechnology, and renewable ocean energy. “These opportunities lie within our grasp if we act with discipline and intentionality,” he said. He highlighted the creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy as a key step toward improving port systems, strengthening maritime security, and supporting private-sector growth.
The President warned that none of the plans for the blue economy will succeed without a secure environment.
Although piracy has reduced through the Deep Blue Project, he noted that oil theft, illegal fishing, smuggling, vandalism, and kidnapping continue to threaten national revenue and investor trust. “These threats are real, and this Administration is taking decisive steps to address them,” he said.
He gave NIPSS an expanded national security assignment, directing it to conduct a nationwide security diagnostic and submit actionable recommendations to guide reforms in the country’s security structure. “The policy paper shall be submitted to my office within an agreed timeline, and it will receive the utmost attention,” he said. Tinubu described NIPSS as the intellectual engine of national transformation and encouraged its scholars to stay bold, practical, and connected to the realities of the nation.
Earlier, the Director-General of NIPSS, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, expressed appreciation to the President for the support the institute has received. He also thanked the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, for providing funding for SEC 47. Omotayo explained that the team had visited several Nigerian states and 14 countries outside Nigeria before presenting their findings titled Blue Economy and Sustainable Development in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities.
Colonel Murkar Dauda, who highlighted the content of the report, said the Federal Government was already addressing systemic gaps in the blue economy and praised the President for what he called visionary leadership. The report identified challenges such as governance issues, institutional coordination weaknesses, and policy inconsistencies, alongside infrastructure levels that fall short of global standards.
It also outlined available opportunities, noting that fisheries and aquaculture remain strong entry points. The document advised that diversifying revenue across the marine and blue economy sector would open new financial streams for the country.
The report recommended that the Federal Government launch a national fisheries expansion programme that uses public-private partnerships to raise fish production from the current 1.2 metric tonnes to 10 metric tonnes within two years. It also proposed expanding the revenue base of the marine and blue economy sector and creating a financing framework for the industry.
Additionally, the report advised the government to review and harmonise all legal, policy, and institutional structures for the marine and blue economy. It recommended establishing a marine and blue economy skills, job creation, and social inclusion framework and strengthening safety and security across inland water bodies, among other measures.
